Little Palace Museum (Musée du Petit Palais)
The basics
Immerse yourself in the works of Renaissance masters including Boticelli and Vittore Carpaccio at the Little Palace Museum. You’ll also find a great collection of sculpted capitals from the churches of Avignon and religious artworks including altar screens. Botticelli's Madonna with Child is the highlight of the collection. Along with the artwork, the palace itself is worth exploring, built in the 14th century, when Avignon was the center of the Catholic Church and home to the Pope. To see all of Avignon’s key sites in a day, consider joining a guided tour.
Things to know before you go
- Entry to the museum is free.
- Wheelchair access might be difficult, as there are steps inside the museum.
- There’s a pleasant cafe in the palace courtyard.
How to get there
The Little Palace Museum is in the center of Avignon’s old town, walking distance from the Palais des Papes and the Pont d’Avignon. The town’s Petit Train tourist bus circles the main sights several times a day and makes it easy to get around. Avignon has a high-speed train station with connections to Paris, Geneva, and beyond.
Trip ideas
When to get there
The museum is open every day except for Tuesday, year-round. It’s also closed on December 25, January 1, and May 1. The museum closes every day for lunch for an hour.
Visit the Hilltop Village of Les Baux
Built on top of a huge rock with an equally huge ruined castle, the village of Les Baux de Provence never fails to impress first-time visitors. Walk through the winding streets of the ancient Upper Town, then immerse yourself in the ethereal beauty of the art installations at the Carrières des Lumières gallery.
- Things to do in Provence
- Things to do in Arles
- Things to do in Nîmes
- Things to do in Marignane
- Things to do in Aix-en-Provence
- Things to do in Montpellier
- Things to do in Marseille
- Things to do in Toulon
- Things to do in Cannes
- Things to do in Nice
- Things to do in Lyon
- Things to do in Monte-Carlo
- Things to do in Turin
- Things to do in Languedoc-Roussillon
- Things to do in French Riviera
- Palace of the Popes (Palais des Papes)
- Rocher des Doms
- Avignon Cathedral (Cathedrale Notre-Dame des Doms)
- Rhône River
- St. Benezet Bridge (Pont d'Avignon)
- Les Halles Market
- Tavel
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Orange
- Pont du Gard
- Les Baux-de-Provence
- Lavender Museum (Musee de la Lavande)
- Montmajour Abbey (Abbaye de Montmajour)
- Senanque Abbey (Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque)
- Uzes